Second MMR vaccine, is it worth it?

[Thesoupkitchen]

I have a dilemma. Just received a letter from local gp saying DD is due her 'school entry' MMR booster. I'm against excessive vaccination anyway, but there's obviously some controversy regarding this one. Also we are home schooling. So she won't be in a class environment(notorious petri dishes). Is anyone else at this cross road? No one can legally force me to to here in the uk. Thank god.

[JammySplodger]

I think it's a precaution because the mmr is not 100% effective, some children will not have retained immunity. There will inevitably be some who still don't have immunity after the school entry booster but the theory goes that there will be enough people immune that any outbreak doesn't spread.

And don't assume your DD will simply escape if there's something going round, she's still mix with other children right? A 36 year old friend of mine is currently getting over mumps and his DD isn't at school yet, measles, mumps and rubella haven't been eradicated, just suppressed sufficiently to prevent epidemics.

[DystopianReality]

Your child may not be immune. Lots of children don't make enough antibodies the first time round and therefore need a booster both for themselves and to ensure the population is sufficiently immune to prevent outbreaks as Jammy said. Unless you get a blood test there is no way you can tell your DC is immune.

[blondefriend]

The second vaccination is there to make sure they are immune. It is important that all children are vaccinated in order to lead to "herd immunity" where the whole population becomes immune otherwise those not vaccinated just pass it from one to the other and it never gets irradicated. On top of that there are many children which immune problems who can't get vaccinated and it is important that they are not exposed to other children who might be carrying it.

[Thesoupkitchen]

Thanks guys. Will take it all on board. Xx

[HappyTurquoise]

Just wanted to add...As you are home schooling and you give that as a reason for not getting the MMR top up, are other home schoolers likely to be more inclined to miss the MMR vaccine as well, thus putting this group of children at greater risk of contracting one of these diseases (they do meet up for various activities) ? Secondly, there is more to consider than you child. It might be that your child just carries the disease, but infects someone else, who could be seriously affected by it. That someone could be an unborn relative, a friend's child, or someone already seriously ill and vulnerable.